


My Way Or The Highway

by 7thChevronLocked, Evadenly



Series: The Wolf and The Ghost [3]
Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:22:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27888973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/7thChevronLocked/pseuds/7thChevronLocked, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evadenly/pseuds/Evadenly
Series: The Wolf and The Ghost [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042098
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	My Way Or The Highway

This room was brighter than the ‘cell’, and bigger too. It was busy, and as they dragged Finn in, they cheered. Someone had dragged Fao in too, after quite painfully bringing him around. He was too dazed to realise what was going on, propped against a wall.   
The men who held Finn had his arms behind his back, bound tightly with rope (heedless of his injured wrist), and with a growl they forced him to his knees on the cold, hard concrete.   
Finn rolled his eyes and bit back a retort. It wouldn't do anyone any good. Fao was pissed at him, with good right, but Finn had been trained for this. He knew how to get out, and still be alive.   
While most kids had fire drills and got taught the danger of strangers, Finn had been dragged to different scenarios time and time again. The aim was always the same. Don't draw attention to yourself. Keep your head down. Stay safe, stay alive. He had to laugh to himself, smirking at the floor. He'd ignored all the rules and only had one left to break. Judging by the gun shoved to his temple, it wouldn't take long.   
They heard his laugh, and the one holding the gun pressed it harder to his skin. “Something funny?”  
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe your guys would like to know what you were up to last week." Finn smirked again, trying to find a nerve to hit.  
“Nobody gives a shit what you have to say for yourself.”  
"Not even if I had intel?"  
“You're a liar.”  
"Why do you think we were there in the first place? Someone had to tell us."  
The men who held his arms gripped the obviously bruised and disfigured wrist, hard. “That's enough.”  
Finn whined through gritted teeth, trying to reduce just some of the pressure on it. When he next spoke, it was through pained gasps, a hint of desperation finally creeping through.  
"Yeah? Come on then. Put me out of my misery."  
“It's fun to fuck with you though.”  
Fao couldn't see anything, just the glimpse of the men holding Finn, a flash of dark hair from his ‘brother’s bowed head. This was it. There was nothing he could do. He didn't even think he could move, his body felt like lead. He felt sick, from pain but also from the guilt. Seeing Finn helpless like this was just awful.   
He could just about hear the teasing (though his ears were ringing) and it was like some horrific game of cat and mouse. Their business had never been this… theatrical.   
Then the silence fell, and Fao heard the click of a gun being cocked. It practically echoed.   
A gunshot pierced the air.   
It was deafening.   
“Finn!” Fao screamed. His stomach dropped and the room span and it was like the world was shattering around him. 

"Everyone down! Hands out, keep them where we can see them or we'll shoot!" Footsteps echoed through the room, followed by a few short rounds in quick succession.   
"Don't say we didn't fucking warn you!"  
It was chaos. Despite Fao's screaming, Finn was alive, the man who held him dead on the floor beside him. Men tried to run, both sides fired shots. It was like slow motion, everything falling apart. Some of the other men holding them were killed, as they fumbled to shoot Fred and his men. It was an ambush, and a beautiful, perfectly timed one at that.   
"Fao? Hey, look at me." Steve crouched in front of him, trying to draw his attention before turning around. "One of you, I need a hand. Get him out of here."  
Still sobbing, Fao didn't even register it was Steve in front of him. He vainly batted at him with his good arm, cradling his bad one close to his body instinctively.   
Someone else appeared by their side, chatted quietly to Steve and then grabbed at Fao, avoiding his swipes.   
"You're alright. It's over now, you're safe."  
He struggled, kicking out and flinching at every gunshot like a frightened dog. “P-please. Not F-Finn. Please.”  
"Finn's fine, we need to move."  
“Kill me. Let me die.” He got out between heaving sobs.   
"Yeah, yeah, come on. Nobody's gonna die if we move."  
He struggled vainly in their grip. “Get off of me. Finn!”  
"Finn's fine. Steve's with him and you'll see him in a minute." He repeated shortly, tightening his grip. "Stop kicking me, will you?"  
“Finn!”  
"Do you want to be gagged? Shut up."  
Fao's sobbing made him retch, and he struggled to breathe. His voice was hoarse and dying, and he still screamed for his ‘brother’.   
Finn had protested Steve's check up, Fao's crying breaking his heart. He struggled against Fred too, making it to his feet before both him and his arguments collapsed. 

In the end, both boys were dragged from the building in varying states of consciousness, and Fao was still silently sobbing at the sight of Finn slumped in front of him. He had no voice left to speak, everything hurt, and he couldn't breathe.   
Finn cracked an eye open with a groan. Fao was a state and Finn couldn't help the guilt as he realised it was his fault. He stuck his good hand out.  
"Fao?"  
Fao lifted his head in disbelief, everything swimming in front of him as he moved. His throat burned, his chest was tight, he couldn't breathe.   
“Finn?” He rasped, clinging to the last threads of his voice. It wasn't real, it couldn't be. He'd been hurt too much, it was a hallucination. Finn was dead.   
"It's okay. I'm right here. I told you I'd sort it, eh?"  
He whimpered, and without thinking went to reach out with his injured arm. It made things worse and he retched again, swaying where he was sat. He clung to consciousness, struggling to stay awake. The darkness called, but so did Finn.   
Finn clambered to sit next to him, trying to pull him closer. "I've got you, yeah? It's okay."  
He sobbed against him, unable to stop himself. At least he could breathe now, just a little. But it wasn't helping the pain, the struggle to stay conscious. He was slipping, but he couldn't. What if Finn was gone when he woke up?  
"I've got you." Finn promised, gently reaching for Fao's wrist with a frown. "Pain, right? It's really bad?"  
Everything was bad, and he instinctively pulled back, trying to stop him touching it. What if it wasn't really Finn? Could his head be fucking with him?  
"Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, I know. I need to know though, to help you." He frowned as his heart dropped; Fao's pulse was barely there and his hand was colder than it should have been. "Steve?"  
"Everything okay?" The older man frowned up at them from where he was treating on the floor. "What have you done now?"  
"Fao's shoulder." Finn tried his best to hide the panic. "I don't think it's in at all."  
"No?"  
"I had to dislocate it." He admitted with a whine. "He was going to get killed and I had no choice!"  
"Hey. Calm down. We'll get it sorted. Fao? Tell me where it hurts."  
Still struggling with his words, Fao nodded slowly. It hurt, but he didn't want to be touched. So he cradled his arm, and turned away from Finn and Steve.   
“Come on, kid. Let me have a look, yeah? We’re not going to hurt you like that.”  
Fao shook his head. It was going to hurt, and he didn't want it to.   
“I’m just going to hold your wrist, that’s all. I’m not going to do anything.”Steve coaxed, gently wrapping his fingers around Fao’s wrist.  
He whimpered. They'd dragged him out, Finn had hurt him, and now he was supposed to just go along with all of this? He didn't want it, but he couldn't run. He could still barely breathe, and his throat still burned.   
“It’s alright, you’re okay.” Steve murmured, running his hand up Fao’s arm. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you? You know that it’s gonna sting and then it’ll get better. We’ve got to do it, I’m sorry.”  
He shook his head, vainly pushing him away with his other hand. “Please.” He rasped.   
“Let me help, Fao.”  
It hurt too much. “No, please.”  
“Fao, you know how this goes. It’s out of place and it’s going to cause more pain where it’s at because it’s compressing it all. We haven't a choice, unless you want to lose that arm.”  
He didn't want to be touched. Even Steve's hand on his arm was too much. But he couldn't find the energy to pull away, and his shoulders shook as he sobbed. Why was everyone trying to hurt him?  
Steve rocked back on his heels and whistled to a colleague. “Hey, do me a favour? Hold him down a sec.”  
The other man came over. “Where do you want me?”  
“Anywhere he’s not going to kick you.” Steve answered before twisting to Finn. “You can walk, right?”  
He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”   
“Back of the van, find anything useful and bring it back.”  
“I’m not a fucking dog.” He grumbled, but did as he was told, limping off.  
Fao scrubbed at his face with his good arm, ignoring how his hand shook. He hated this, he just wanted to sleep. His head hurt, his shoulder hurt, he felt nauseous and dizzy and exhausted.   
“When’s your birthday, Fao?”  
“You should know.”  
“I’m old, I forget these things.”  
He tried to clear his throat, but only made it worse. “Water?”  
“Not just yet.”  
He frowned but didn't push, wary of Steve and the other man with him. He was familiar, but Fao couldn't place him, and he couldn't trust him either.   
Steve kept muttering under his breath, unimpressed with Finn’s lack of speed. As Fao’s arm continued to worsen, he swore, apologising.  
“Fao, I’m sorry. I promise you’re safe, but this is going to hurt, you know that. It’s going to be better once it’s in, but it’s going to hurt and I’m so sorry.”  
“Please don't.” Fao whimpered, struggling as Steve's ‘friend’ grabbed him to hold him down. “No, please!”  
Steve groaned. “You know you need to stop fighting, try to relax. You’re going to make it worse if you struggle.”  
He didn't want to be held, not again. He whined and kicked out and struggled in his grip, swearing hoarsely.   
After another quick command to hold Fao tighter, Steve pulled again, trying to twist it back into place.  
It hurt, god did it hurt. It was painful and wrong. He cried out, struggling vainly against the man who held him. It wasn't getting better, wasn't it supposed to get better? Steve said it was going to.   
“That’s it, Fao. You’re doing really well, we’re nearly there.” He lied, practically hanging off his arm. “So, so well.”  
What was it Steve had told him last time? Don’t tense. He’d gotten a joking smack upside the head last time because he’d needed more sedatives. But now there was nothing, and Fao struggled to breathe as the pain just got worse. Don’t tense, don’t tense, don’t tense. He tried his best, he really, really did. It was hard being held, and he struggled and sobbed.  
“Come on, come on.” Steve muttered. “You little bastard, just go back in.”  
It felt like eternity, Fao trembling and crying, but eventually the joint clunked home, earning a relieved whimper from Fao.   
"There we go. Hold still, Fao. Don't move, we don't want it to slip out."  
He didn’t move, he couldn’t move, struggling for breath.  
Steve gently let go, instructing the other to do the same. He moved to Fao's side, still in his line of sight and then rested his hand on Fao's good arm.  
"That's it. It's over, yeah? You did so well."  
Now that he wasn’t held, breathing was a bit easier. Fao glanced around quickly, panicked. “Finn?”  
"Good fucking question." Steve tried to joke. "You'll have to give him a slap when he gets back."  
“He’s ‘kay?”  
"He's alive."  
“Oh. He is?”  
"Yeah. You just saw him."  
“‘kay.”  
"Do you remember?"  
“No…”  
“What day is it today, Fao?”  
“Don’t know… When did they?” His voice trailed off.   
“That’s okay. You know me, right?”  
He nodded slowly.  
“What’s my name?”  
“Steve?”

“You don’t seem convinced.”  
“Hazy.”  
“Yeah. Let me shine a light in your eyes?”  
Fao was too tired to speak, but just nodded again.  
“I know, I’m sorry.” Steve did what he had to, finished a few more checks and then leaned back out of Fao’s space. “Still sick and dizzy?”  
He nodded again, throat raw and his head pounding. The questions were too much, he just wanted to sleep for a week.   
“Yeah, you’ll be fine. Get you home and keep an eye on you, eh?”  
“Please.”  
“Come on, then. Let's get you sorted and find where Finn’s bloody disappeared to.”  
Fao sighed. He wanted to see Finn, to make sure he was alive, but the energy he needed wasn't there. He was empty, exhausted, and in far too much pain to even think about getting to his feet.   
“Are you ready?”  
“Mm? ‘kay.”  
“Yeah, you have to get up, though. I’m not carrying you.” are u sure about that  
“Help?” Fao knew he was pitiful, but he couldn't help it.   
“Give it a try.” Steve coaxed, offering a hand.  
Fao took his hand and struggled to his feet, swaying somewhat now he was stood.   
Steve looked him up and down with a heavy sigh. “Really? Will you let me carry you?”  
Fao paused, trying to make his brain work. Through the headache and the brain fog it was hard, but he managed to take a shaky step forward and looped his arm around Steve's shoulders. He could lean on him, and then they could go. He didn't want to be carried.   
The older man softened, wrapping his fingers in fao’s waistband. “Alright then. I’ve got you.”  
With Steve's help, Fao made it back to the van. It took a while, and his chest was heaving by the end, but he made it. He just wanted home, and to be in bed.   
Steve propped Fao up against the side of the door while he moved stuff about on the back seats. He’d expected a mess - everyone seemed to ignore his very polite notes to leave stuff alone - but he’d not expected a sleeping Finn, curled under several blankets.   
“What the fuck?”  
The door of the van was cold and Fao wasn't even really complaining. It was grounding, it made him feel real. But when Steve spoke he frowned, and looked past him to see Finn on the seats. He was breathing (thankfully) and Fao hummed happily.   
“Finn!”  
He jumped at Fao’s voice, blood and bruising clear on his face as he pushed himself onto his elbows. He gave them both a lopsided smile as he rummaged under the blankets.  
“I got you some pain relief.”  
“Home now.”  
“We’re home?” He asked sleepily, scrubbing at his eyes.  
“Goin’.”  
“Want some painkillers now?”  
Fao looked over at Steve. He didn't even know if he could.  
“Nicked it. Like gas and air but easier, you’ll have seen it on tv.” Steve took it from Finn. “Can give it a go if you want, see how it works for you.”  
Fao frowned at it, but took it with a shaky hand. Gas and air always made him feel sick, he thought, but he felt sick anyway. Maybe this would be better? “And go home?”  
“Yeah, course. Fred’s driving, I’ll stay in the back with you two.” He helped Fao in. “Gives you someone else to be sick on, eh?”  
“Sleep.” Fao decided. “Not sick.”  
"I'd much prefer that option."  
They got settled, and Fao tried some of the pain relief Steve had given him. It was okay, and helped, but it made him even more dizzy and sick, coupled with the movement of the van, and he eventually just leaned against Steve. His shoulder was warm and firm and welcome. He was a comforting presence.   
Finn fell asleep first, head eventually falling into Steve's lap. After making sure the young man was still strapped in, he reached down to stroke through his hair. His other arm looped around Fao's shoulders, holding him close. They'd come far too close for comfort, and they'd nearly not come out.  
It was nice to be held, a stark contrast to the earlier touches Fao’d had to endure. He drifted off against Steve, despite everything.   
"It's okay. You're both safe now." Steve murmured to the sleeping pair. "Just sleep, I've got you."


End file.
